Publication

As Latin American countries seek to expand the coverage and benefits provided by their health systems as part of a global drive for universal health coverage (UHC), decisions taken today – whether by government or individuals - will have an impact on public spending requirements tomorrow. To understand the implications of these decisions and define needed policy reforms, this paper calculates long-term projections for public spending on health in Brazil, Chile and Mexico, analyzing different scenarios related to population, risk factors, labor market participation, and technological growth. In addition, the paper simulates the effects of different policy options and their potential knock-on effects on health expenditure.